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Tuesday, December 22, 2009

One Year Later: America's Worst Environmental Disaster Continues with No Regulatory Relief in Sight

One year after environmental disaster in Tennasee area residents describe thearea as a moonscape, a war zone, a sad sight.

Press Release from Environmental Justice

One Year Later: America's Worst Environmental Disaster Continues with NoRegulatory Relief in Sight

Washington, DC -- It's been one year and piles of coal ash still remain. Traincars full of the toxic waste move from Kingston, Tennessee to Perry County,Alabama. The few remaining residents along the Clinch and Emory Rivers say thecleanup goes on, but not much of the scenery has changed. They describe it as amoonscape, a war zone, a sad sight.

One year ago, a billion gallons of toxic coal ash -- the leftovers fromcoal-fired power plants that contain dangerously high levels of arsenic,selenium and other toxins -- burst through a dam at the Tennessee ValleyAuthority's Kingston Plant. It spread across 300 acres, destroying dozens ofhomes and poisoning the Emory and Clinch Rivers.

The nation quickly took notice. Congress convened hearings about the disasterand brought experts in to discuss the impacts that coal ash has not only inKingston, but at similar sites across the U.S. Local newspapers wrote about coalash ponds in other parts of the country. EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson vowedthat her agency would introduce the first ever federal regulations on coal ashponds by the end of this year. But just last week, the EPA announced they weregoing to delay federal coal ash regulations "due to the complexity of theanalysis the agency is currently finishing."

"We're obviously disappointed that the EPA couldn't get these regulations out tothe public before the end of this year," said Earthjustice attorney and coal ashexpert Lisa Evans. "Power industry lobbyists have relentlessly pressured EPA,the White House, and other federal agencies to back off regulating toxic ash.Polluters are spreading baseless fears about cost and compliance. But what weknow to be true is that the tragedy that happened in Tennessee is just waitingto happen again unless the EPA acts quickly and forces stronger protections."

Earthjustice has compiled a timeline of events related to the Tennessee disasterover the last year. It can be found at:http://www.dipity.com/earthjustice/Kingston-Plat-Coal-Ash-Spill-The-First-100-Da\ys

In March, the EPA sent letters to every coal ash pond owner seeking informationabout the size, age, location and last inspection of coal ash ponds. 584 coalash ponds were tallied, but some companies refused to turn over the information,citing "confidential business information" claims.

In June, the EPA identified 49 "high hazard" coal ash ponds, where the failureof a dam will probably cause a loss of human life. But it wasn't until membersof Congress and environmental groups got involved that EPA decided to share thelist of high hazard sites with the public.

"For 30 years, these coal ash ponds have gone unnoticed and unchecked," Evansadded. "It's sad to think that it took a tragedy such as what happened inTennessee to get our government to finally take notice."